Wednesday, March 31, 2010

March Summary

Here is an overview of what I read and what I got in March.

I read 20 books this month.

Young Adult

Tiger's Quest by Colleen Houck
Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins
Forget-Her-Nots by Amy Brecount White
The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting
Voices of Dragons by Carrie Vaughn

Middle Grade

Claim to Fame by Margaret Peterson Haddix
Lunch Lady and the League of Librarians by Jarrett J. Krosoczka

Adult Books

Slow Heat by Jill Shalvis
Double Play by Jill Shalvis
Spider's Bite by Jennifer Estep
Mouse and Dragon by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller (I liked it so much that I read it twice!)
Local Custom by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller
Wolf Signs: Granite Lake Wolves, Book 1 by Vivian Arend
Scandal Sheet by Gemma Halliday
Wolf Flight: Granite Lake Wolves, Book 2 by Vivian Arend
Scout's Progress by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller
Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane
Wolf Games: Granite Lake Wolves, Book 3 by Vivian Arend
Mind Games by Carolyn Crane

And I'm currently reading Princess for Hire by Lindsey Leavitt

Added

This month I added 81 books to my LibraryThing account. These are the tags I used. Books may have more than one tag.

ARC - 6
Debut Author - 9
Free - 8
Kindle - 29 (11 were free)
Paranormal - 17
Won - 8
Young Adult - 36

Right now 68 are still TBR.

Progress on Challenges

2010 YA Debut Author (Goal = 24 books)

January I read 3
February I read 2
March I read: 4
Total to Date: 9

2010 YA Reading Challenge (Goal = 25)

January I read 7
February I read 5
March I read: 7
Total to Date: 19

Flashback Reading Challenge (Goal = 6)

January I read: 0
February I read: 1
March I read: 2
Total to Date: 3

2010 E Book Reading Challenge (Goal = 20)

January I read 4
February I read 1
March I read: 14
Total to Date:19

RYOB Reading Challenge (Goal = 100)

January I read: 16
February I read: 12
March I read: 19
Total to Date: 47

2010 TBR Reading Challenge (Goal = 12)

January I read: 3
February I read: 1
March I read: 0
Total to Date: 4

Bottoms Up Reading Challenge (Goal = 36)

January I read 3
February I read 3
March I read: 0
Total to Date: 6 

In the Middle Reading Challenge (Goal = 10)

January I read: 3
February I read: 3
March I read: 3
Total to Date: 9

I am feeling a lot of pressure about making my goals for the challenges that I am part of this year. I know that last year I read about 225 books. But this year, because I am trying to read certain kinds of books, it feels harder. The books I choose to read next are chosen with much less spontaneity because I have to keep in mind making progress on my challenges. I feel guilty when a "drop everything and read" book arrives because it messes up my pattern.



W...W...W... Wednesdays

To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions!…
•What are you currently reading?
 
I am reading Princess for Hire by Lindsey Leavitt. So far, I like the snarky attitude of the heroine - Desi. The magic is interesting too.
 
 
 
•What did you recently finish reading?
 
I just finished Voices of Dragons by Carrie Vaughn. I liked that the heroine was a adventure junkie. I also liked the dragon who was portrayed as another adolescent danger junkie. I just wished we could find out more about dragons and dragon society.
 
My review is here.
 
 
•What do you think you'll read next?
 
I will be reading either Broken by Shiloh Walker or Born to Be Wild by Christine Warren. It is time for a break from YA books and these have been calling to me for a while.
 
Alternately, Silver Borne by Patricia Briggs and Succubus Shadows by Richelle Mead are sitting in my mailbox at work. They may both jump the line to vie for my next book.

Monday, March 29, 2010

Tease Tuesday: Princess for Hire


Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
  • Grab your current read
  • Open to a random page
  • Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
  • BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
  • Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Princess for Hire
Author: Lindsey Leavitt
Publication: Hyperion Book CH (March 16, 2010)
 
She looked like she'd arrived straight from a fashion runway, except for one thing. Her hair was a shocking shade of chartreuse green.
 
This one looks and sounds like it will be a very fun read. I look forward to starting it.
  

Monday Report and Plans

It's Monday, What are you reading this week? is a weekly event hosted by One Person's Journey Through a World of Books to list the books completed last week, the books currently being read and the books to be finished this week.

What I read last week:
Mouse and Dragon by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller
Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane
The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting
Wolf Games: Granite Lake Wolves, Book 3 by Vivian Arend
Mind Games by Carolyn Crane

What I'm Currently Reading: Voices of Dragons by Carrie Vaughn
What's Next on the Pile: Princess for Hire by Lindsey Leavitt
What I'm Taking Home for Easter Break:
My Kindle and all 260+ books on it
Broken by Shiloh Walker
Born to Be Wild by Christine Warren
Mistwood by Leah Cypess

What I Should Be Reading: Something from my TBR Challenge pile. I haven't read anything off that stack for a while.

This week includes travel time. I will lose about 9 hours of potential reading time driving to and from my break destination. I am not a fan of audiobooks because I get so involved in the story that I forget to pay attention to my driving. I usually just listen to music because it isn't too distracting but does help pass the time on my trips.

Sunday, March 28, 2010

Short Take Reviews (3)

Wolf Games (Granite Lake Wolves, Book 3)
Author: Vivian Arend
Publication: Samhain Publishing, Ltd. (March 23, 2010) (Kindle)

I love the Warning labels for these Samhain books. Here is the one for this book: Contains uber-sexy werewolves of Russian descent, reluctant mates and exotic travels through the Yukon wilderness. Includes sarcasm and hot nookie under the Midnight Sun. This very short novel was a fun, quick read. Maggie meets Eric on the way to spend time with her sister (from Book 2). She has been denying her wolf because of the trauma she faced dealing with the same evil Alpha as her sister did. Eric is the pack Beta and recognizes her as his mate. He is completely different than the wolf pack she knew. He helps her adjust and they fall in love.

Mind Games
Publication: Spectra; Original edition (March 23, 2010)

This is a debut novel by a fellow Minnesotan. It is also a paranormal with an interesting twist. The heroine is a hypochondriac who is certain that she is about to die. She joins a group of other strange talents because it helps her deal with her hypochondria. Quote:
"You want to join now? You're sure about it?"
"Yes, quite." I say this nonchalantly, as if I'm accepting a mint bonbon from a butler instead of a new vigilante lifestyle from a slightly maniacal mutant.
The unusual talents of the heroine is not the only twist in this one. This was an interesting story about a world where paranormal talents are disbelieved by the general public but characters with them control much of the society. I guessed wrong about who the heroine would romance and am eager for the next one to see if her choice works out.


Saturday, March 27, 2010

In My Mailbox (March 28, 2010)

The weekly In My Mailbox post is hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren. It is fun to see what everyone else gets in their mailboxes, shopping bags, and library visits. Click on the link to The Story Siren's site to see the rules and join in the fun.

I guarantee that your TBR pile will grow when you see all the cool books everyone gets. You will discover lots of wonderful blogs and lots of books that you won't be able to live without.

For the first time that I remember, I added an equal amount of books to my Kindle as I purchased paper copies. I did add three books for the 2010 YA Debut Author Challenge because I intend to donate them to my HS Media Center after I finish reading them. Here thay are:


Brightly Woven by Alexandra Bracken

Inside Out by Maria V. Snyder

Mistwood by Leah Cypess

I also added a couple more YA books that are the latest installments in series that I already read and love. These will most likely remain in my home library rather than be donated after reading. I'll be adding them to my next HS Media Center book orders for sure. Here thay are:




A Conspiracy of Kings by Megan Whalen Turner

A Wizard of Mars by Diane Duane

More detailed information about these books including links to Amazon and the authors' websites can by found by visiting my other blog - Ms. Martin Teaches Media.

These adult books were added to my Kindle primarily from recommendations I received as I was checking out everyone else's IMM posts last week.

Cat's Cradle: String of Fate, Book 1 by Bianca D'Arc -- Here's the "warning" from Samhain: Warning: This book contains bad language, great sex, sometimes hostile, but always sexy, big cat shifters on the prowl, and lots of tuna for Chuck-wait a minute-tuna?

Sweeter Than Wine by Bianca D'Arc -- Again, here is Samhain's "warning": Warning, this title contains explicit sex, graphic language, menage a trois, hot neck biting and werecougar stroking.

I see that Bianca D'Arc has other books available too. I thought I would give these a try first.

When He Was Bad by Shelly Laurenston and Cynthia Eden -- "Two of paranormal romance's bestselling authors combine their extraordinary talents and set the pages on fire with an after-dark anthology featuring Alpha males so hot, so wild, and so bad, they may just be the best you've ever had..."


Mind Games by Carolyn Crane -- I stumbled onto her blog, thought she was funny, learned she was from Minnesota, liked the concept of hypochondria as a super power, and had to give the book a try. She is a debut author.

Wolf Games: Granite Lake Wolves, Book 3 by Vivian Arend -- I have read and enjoyed the first two books and wanted to read this one. It was a short, fun read about werewolves and the women who love them.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder by Joanne Fluke -- I like a good, cozy mystery once in a while. I read a review for a book later in the series and learned that it takes place in Minnesota. I had to backtrack and look for the first book. I see that there are currently 13 in the series.

And here is the only adult book that I actually received a paper copy of because I bought a used copy through Amazon Marketplace.


May Day by Jess Lourey is a cozy mystery that takes place in Minnesota.  She begins her series in the month of May and has just published September. So I have a few more months to catch up on if I like the series.

As I look over this week's additions, I seem to have been fixated on my home state. Have you ever done that?

This is what I bought this week. What did you get?





Friday, March 26, 2010

Book Beginning: Mind Games by Carolyn Crane

Book Beginnings on Friday is a meme hosted by Becky at Page Turners. Anyone can participate; just share the opening sentence of your current read, making sure that you include the title and author so others know what you're reading. If you like, share with everyone why you do, or do not, like the sentence.

Thank you to Rose City Reader for giving me the idea for this meme. On Rose City Reader you will find 'Opening Sentences of the Day' so please have a look at this wonderful blog for further opportunities to share opening sentences.

Here is the opening sentence of my current book:
From where we sit I have the perfect view of Shady Ben Foley, dining on the other side of the lavishly decorated Mongolian restaurant.

This is a newly released debut paranormal novel by a new Minnesota author - Carolyn Crane. The title is Mind Games. The heroine is most unusual. She has found a way to turn her raging hypochondria into a weapon. I like the way the sentence sets us up in a place and introduces a character - Shady Ben Foley. Why "shady"?








Friday 56: Wolf Games by Vivian Arend


Happy Friday everybody!!

Rules:
  • Grab the book nearest you. Right now.
  • Turn to page 56.
  • Find the fifth sentence.
  • Post that sentence (plus one or two others if you like) along with these instructions on your blog or (if you do not have your own blog) in the comments section of Storytime with Tonya and Friends.
  • Post a link along with your post back to Storytime with Tonya and Friends.
  • Don’t dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.
Wolf Games (Granite Lake Wolves, Book 3)
Author: Vivian Arend
Publication: Samhain Publishing, Ltd. (March 23, 2010) on my Kindle

I don't know if this is page 56 or sentence 5 but I thought I'd share anyway.


Maggie scrambled off his lap so fast she slipped, her feet skidding on the soft rocks at the bottom of the outdoor pool. The towering mass of man in front of her caught her easily before her head went under.



These have been fun werewolf romances. I'm looking forward to reading more of this one.




 

Review: Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane


Shutter Island
Author: Dennis Lehane
Publication: Harper; Reprint edition (August 25, 2009)
 
Product Description: The year is 1954. U.S. Marshal Teddy Daniels and his new ­partner, Chuck Aule, have come to Shutter Island, home of Ashecliffe Hospital for the Criminally Insane, to investigate the disappearance of a patient. Multiple-murderess Rachel Solando is loose somewhere on this barren island, despite having been kept in a locked cell under constant surveillance. As a killer hurricane bears relentlessly down on them, a strange case takes on even darker, more sinister shades—with hints of radical experimentation, horrifying surgeries, and lethal countermoves made in the cause of a covert shadow war. No one is going to escape Shutter Island unscathed, because nothing at Ashecliffe Hospital is remotely what it seems.
 
My Thoughts: This was really a weird book. Of course, I was expecting a weird book. I was told that the movie was similar to A Beautiful Mind and The Sixth Sense. I was expecting things to not be as they seemed. Even so, I found the book to be baffling. I'm still not sure what was real and what was happening in the characters mind. I thought that the description of the treatment of mental illness in the 1950s was almost as interesting as the plot itself. What a horrible time to be mentally ill! If you are looking for a book to entertain you while messing with your mind, this is the book for you.
 
Now, I have to decide if I want to see the movie. Right now, not so much. It sounds like it could be incredibly scary. Personally, I'm looking for a "fluffy bunny" type movie now. Does Disney have anything new out?
 
Challenges: RYOB Reading Challenge, 2010 E-Book Reading Challenge

Book Blogger Hop (March 26, 2010)



Jennifer from Crazy for Books has come up with a great new meme that I will be taking part in. It follows in the spirit of Friday Follow but it is specifically for book bloggers! I am very excited about this blog hop as it will give me a chance to find out about lots of other book blogs that I might not have known about otherwise.
 
If you want to join in the fun, all you have to do is visit Crazy for Books and sign up with McLinky. Then just have a look through the other blogs that are signed up and hopefully make lots of new bloggy friends!
 
If you find my site through the Book Blogger Hop leave a comment here and I will come and visit your blog.
 
Happy blog hopping!
 

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Short Take Reviews Take 2

Just some quick thoughts about what I have been reading.



Lunch Lady and the League of Librarians by Jarrett J. Krosoczka -- This middle grade graphic novel is about lunch ladies who are also crime solving super heroes. This case has them up against evil librarians who want to steal the latest and greatest video game system so that kids will be forced to read. I borrowed this one from my Elementary Media Center.


Wolf Flight by Vivian Arend -- This is the second in the Granite Lake Wolves series. Missy is an Omega wolf on the run from the Alpha of her pack. Tad is an untriggered wolf who was her high school sweetheart. He doesn't know she is a wolf. There are lots of misunderstandings on the way to "happy every after" for these two characters. This book resides on my Kindle.

Mouse and Dragon by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller -- This is a re-read for me. I read this a week or so ago and reviewed it here. Then, because it comes third in a story arc, I read books 1 (Local Custom) and 2 (Scout's Progress) in the arc again. Then, naturally, I had to read this one again. I enjoyed this book even more this time than I did the first. The story tells how Aelliana Caylon and Daav yos'Phelium manage to overcome a greedy Delm, a spiteful sister, a kidnapping, and assassins to form a a lifemating and a marriage of true hearts and souls. This is an ARC that resides on my Kindle. The hardcover will be coming my way in mid-June.

Challenges: In the Middle Reading Challenge, 2010 E-Book Challenge, Flashback Challenge, RYOB Reading Challenge

Monday, March 22, 2010

Tuesday Teaser: Mouse and Dragon by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller




Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
  • Grab your current read
  • Open to a random page
  • Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
  • BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
  • Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
*****************

Mouse and Dragon
by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller
Publication: Baen Books (June 15, 2010
What I have learned is -- mark me now! -- life is not safe. Random action threatens us all. The choices we have are between fear and boldness, between joy and terror. If at all possible, I believe it is necessary to choose joy. One may survive no longer, nor ever be safe, but one's life will be worth living.
This is a re-read for me. I keep finding more in it to think about and to love. I am reading the eARC available from Baen Books.


Sunday, March 21, 2010

Review: Scout's Progress by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller

Scout's Progress
Authors: Sharon Lee and Steve Miller
Publication: Ace (April 30, 2002)
My Thoughts: This is one of my favorite books. I have read it countless times over the years. GoodReads summarizes the plot like this: "The second novel of the Liaden Universe-the story of a young girl who has won a starship, but now must learn to fly if she is to escape her dastardly brother." Which is basically correct but doesn't do the story justice.
Liad is a planet that is very much concerned with tradition and proper conduct. People are gathered into kin-groups called clans. Delms care for and protect the members of the clan. Everyone outside the clan is an enemy or a rival. However, Aelliana Caylon is not well-treated by her clan. She is abused by her brother who will be delm.
When she wins a spaceship in a card game, she is determined to leave the clan. However, she needs to learn how to survive in the greater world and is befriended by the pilots and scouts who are involved with the space yard where her ship is berthed. She learns that there can be honor outside the clan structure as she slowly learns to trust.
Daav yos'Phelium is delm of Clan Korval. Korval is the number one clan on Liad and is under contract to protect the people of Liad. Daav needs to marry to have a child but hasn't met anyone who wants him for himself. So he has reluctantly taken steps to enter into a contract marriage with a suitable woman. He is a retired scout captain and master pilot. He goes to his friends at the space yard to try to find balance in his life.
He meets Aelliana. He becomes her co-pilot but doesn't share his name and clan with her. As he gets to know Aelliana he comes to believe that they could be lifemates - two who are bound by a form of magic. But he is under contract to wed and she is determined to leave Liad for her own safety. 
The story is a beautiful love story as two people find each other and fall in love.
Challenges: RYOB Challenge, Flashback Reading Challenge, 2010 E-Book Reading Challenge


Saturday, March 20, 2010

In My Mailbox (March 21, 2010)

The weekly In My Mailbox post is hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren. It is fun to see what everyone else gets in their mailboxes, shopping bags, and library visits.

Click on the link to The Story Siren's site to see the rules and join in the fun. I guarantee that your TBR pile will grow when you see all the cool books everyone gets. You will discover lots of wonderful blogs and lots of books that you won't be able to live without.

************************
This was a great week for me. I got a bunch of books this week from a variety of places. First, from Amazon, I got these releases by YA Debut Authors.

I have been looking forward to reading The Body Finder by Kim Derting since I first started seeing reviews months ago.

Princess for Hire by Lindsey Leavitt sounds really cute and I love the pink cover.

Voices of Dragons by Carrie Vaughn is a YA debut by an author I already read and enjoy.

I also got some books from the Science Fiction Book Club this month. They were running a special and I actually saved money by buying them there. Amazon would have been more even with free shipping.


Hastur Lord by Marion Zimmer Bradley and Deborah J. Ross is a new entry in a series that I used to love. I am eager to see if I fall back in love with Darkover when I read this one.

Angelology by Danielle Trussoni is an iffy pick for me. I have read great reviews of this book on the blogsphere but I am not a big fan of paranormals with angels. I have read a few that just didn't satisfy. I don't know if it was the theme or the authors that failed to connect.

I also added a couple of books to my Kindle.


Male Call by Denise A. Agnew had a hot cover and summary and was free.

Wolf Flight by Vivian Arend was the second in a series about werewolves. This was a good romance in a genre I really enjoy.

I also received a book I won in the Early Reviewers program at LibraryThing.
Spooky Little Girl by Laurie Notaro sounded interesting. This is described as light fiction/chick lit which is a little outside of my preferred genre. But I like to stretch my tastes a little every once in a while.



Friday, March 19, 2010

Short Take Reviews

I have been doing a bunch of reading this week of books that I don't want to spend too much time reviewing. I'd rather read the next book on my stack.
Local Custom by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller is an old favorite of mine. It is a science fiction romance between two characters from different cultures. I love the romance as two characters with strong senses of honor and strong love for each other try to overcome misunderstandings and forge a lasting romance. Anne Davis is a scholar of Linguistics who specializes in looking for the roots of language. She has studied Liaden literature. Er Thom yosGalan is a Liaden from a very powerful Clan. He is a pilot and a Master Trader. They meet when she is on a research fellowship and he is escorting a trade mission. They fall in love but separate. The story begings when Er Thom travels to see Anne to tell her that he loves her before he returns home to fulfill his duty to his Clan by marrying another woman. When he sees Anne, he is surprised that she has had his child and not  told him. Cultural misunderstandings occur.
Wolf Signs (Granite Lake Wolves, Book 1) by Vivien Arend is a paranormal erotic romance. Robin, who is deaf, is camping in the wilderness when Keil and his brother TJ come to stay at the same camp. Keil and TB are werewolves and recognize Robin as one too. Robin did not know she was a wolf. Keil also recongnizes Robin as his mate. There are touches of humor provided by TJ and hot romance provided by Robin and Keil. There is also some danger as Keil has to fight to be alpha of his pack and the other alpha contender is willing to ambush Keil so that the fight goes his way.
Scandal Sheet by Gemma Halliday is a cute contemporary romance. Tina is a gossip columnist for a Hollywood tabloid. One of the stars she has written about threatens her. Her boss hires a hunky bodyguard and Tina is off to try to figure out which star has it in for her. There are humorous elements. Tina is perfectly willing to tell outrageous lies to get to the bottom of the case. She lives with an elderly aunt, who is having memory issues and is very hard of hearing, in a retirement village. She has an IM boyfriend she calls the Man in Black.
Challenges: Flashback Challenge, 2010 E-Book Reading Challenge, RYOB Reading Challenge


Let's Go to the Hop



It's Friday! Let's go to the hop! The Blog Hop that is. Jennifer at Crazy For Books hosts this weekly event, Book Blogger Hop, where you can discover or be discovered by other bloggers.
 
Add your blog to the list and hop around looking for kindred souls or interesting content. This is a fun chance to discover some new blogs.